Mental Health: Children and Adolescents

Debate between Earl of Listowel and Lord Prior of Brampton

Wednesday 16th November 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

My Lords, I cannot answer that question effectively and would like some time to think about it. Clearly, the mental health of teachers, nurses and doctors is critical. Certainly in the medical profession we are doing quite a lot to help doctors who are going through periods of mental health problems. If it is all right with the right reverend Prelate, I shall reflect on his question and write to him at my leisure.

[The Earl of Listowel (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister recognise the harm to children’s mental health when they and their families live in temporary accommodation? Is he concerned that there will be 120,000 children living in temporary accommodation this Christmas and that the use of bed and breakfast has increased by 15% over the last year? Will he discuss this matter with colleagues developing the housing White Paper and impress on them the importance to children’s mental health of finding stable accommodation for families on low incomes?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

My Lords, there is no doubt that whether it is housing for young people or loneliness for old people, many factors affect people’s mental well-being. The noble Lord may be interested to know, as I know that his particular interest is in looked-after children, that we have set up an expert working group to look particularly at that case. Interestingly, 85% of the local transformation plans that have been developed single out looked-after children as a group that requires special attention.

National Health Service: Workforce Race Equality Standard

Debate between Earl of Listowel and Lord Prior of Brampton

Wednesday 24th February 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

My Lords, I am not sure that the noble Lord is quite right. I can certainly think of two people from BME backgrounds on the board of NHS England. We can influence this, but it is important that the appointment process is independent of political bias. We have to rely on the chairs and the boards of these arm’s-length bodies to make those appointments.

[The Earl of Listowel (CB)]

My Lords, I am stretching the point rather, but given the increasing awareness that not only the education needs but the health needs of looked-after children and care leavers have been neglected in the past, might the Minister consider looking at how many care leavers and care-experienced adults are represented at senior levels of governance in the health service to ensure that these young people and adults get better support in the future?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I think we are probably straying quite a long way from the Question, but I will certainly consider what the noble Earl said.

Health: Multiple Pregnancy

Debate between Earl of Listowel and Lord Prior of Brampton

Monday 13th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

The NICE guidelines for mothers expecting twins or more have an enhanced pathway as well, in which there will be a specialist named obstetrician and a mental health specialist. The Government have committed an extra £75 million over the next five years to increase the availability of mental health expertise to women who have multiple births.

[The Earl of Listowel (CB)]

Does not the Minister take pride in the fact that his Government—or the coalition Government—were so successful in recruiting many more health visitors, so that vulnerable families such as these get the support that they need?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

Yes, I believe that under the coalition Government an extra 4,000 health visitors were recruited, and they are very important.